Former PCB chief and Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja has come down heavily on the Indian team for not playing any practice or even intra-squad matches before the ICC WTC 2023 final against Australia, which got underway on June 7 at the Oval in London.
India squandered a huge advantage after Rohit Sharma had won the toss and chosen to bowl first. They did manage to get three wickets quickly leaving Australia 76/3, but after that, it was Travis Head hammering the Indian bowling on his way to a brilliant ton.
Head (146*) and Steve Smith (95*) added 251 unbeaten runs for the fourth wicket as the duo walked to the pavilion with Australia on 327/3 at the closure of play on day one.
The Indian bowlers looked hapless as Head and Smith continued to pile up runs, and former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja stated that Rohit Sharma's men were grossly ill-prepared for the iconic clash in London.
The Indian players had arrived in England in multiple groups due to the 2023 Indian Premier League, which ended on May 29.
Raja pointed out that India should've played in practice matches in England ahead of the final to acclimatize to the pitch conditions and weather.
WTC 2023 Final: “Rohit Sharma with his field placements, allowed some easy runs”- Sourav Ganguly
“One-off Tests are difficult to assess what you have to do. A team comes from sub-continent conditions to these cold climates, and has to adjust in 5-6 days. That too, without even playing a game. I don't understand. This is the WTC Final, India should have at least had inter-squad matches before this. Even if you had played 3-4 one-day matches, you get acclimatized to the conditions,” Raja said on his official YouTube channel.
“It's overcast, the pitch conditions are quite different. You want to have an adjustment. Bowlers also need to adjust their lines and lengths here. After four overs in IPL, you have to bowl 17 here in a day. The body needs rest,” he added further.
The Indian team hasn't won an ICC title over the past ten years, with its last win coming under the captaincy of MS Dhoni when the side lifted the 2013 Champions Trophy in England.
